Britain's richest woman, Kirsty Bertarelli, has sparked outrage among neighbours with plans for a two-storey mega basement beneath her three-storey Victorian home in Belgravia. The 43-year-old former Miss UK, who has a £7 billion fortune, wants to add a cinema, gym, and extra kitchen to make the property “more conducive to modern family living,” according to reports.
The proposed basement would be the first double-storey excavation in the street, though two other houses already have single basements. Neighbours have complained to the City of Westminster council, expressing fears that the space could be used as a recording studio. One anonymous neighbour said: “Some of the owners around here are absolutely apoplectic about what's in the pipeline. These kinds of developments cause huge disruption. There will be hardly any earth left eventually.”
Local Conservative councillor Rachael Robathan voiced support for objections, stating: “The size of the extension is disproportionate.” Despite the controversy, the council's planning committee approved the plans at a meeting on Tuesday. The approval came just before the authority changes its restrictions on basement conversions.
A council spokesman said: “This application was approved by committee on Tuesday night. We have a basement policy that is coming in very shortly which will restrict this type of development, as we recognise the disruption that residents in Westminster are having to live with.”
